LOUDONVILLE - A frozen clown's head took shape Saturday as the artist shoved a drill into its mouth, then eyes, to make them a little more pronounced.

Dozens of gaping visitors watched the ice carving come to life during the Mohican Winterfest in downtown Loudonville. The sculptor, Jeff Meyers, of Broadview Heights, had already finished four other icy statues that day.

"I'm starting to get a little tired," Meyers said as he stepped back to look over his work. With 15 years of experience behind him, it didn't take long for him to realize his clown was nearly complete.

"He's been working on this one for about an hour," said Angela Mathie, his assistant for the festival.

Meyers then grabbed a large chisel, his lengthy beard covered with chunks of clinging ice. He scraped the frozen base supporting the clown, then used a torch to melt a small layer of the ice, making the entire sculpture shine.

"If it stays cloudy, and the temperatures are right, it could last for weeks," Mathie said as she carted the ice art to a pedestal. "But if it gets super sunny, it causes the ice to crack on the inside."

Mathie grew up in Loudonville, but has lived in Medina since graduating high school. She's still a Redbird, though. Saturday was the third time she carved in her hometown, and the first time she ever carved a butterfly.

"I really enjoy getting to do something different and new," Mathie said. "You're competing against the elements and yourself every time you carve — what happens one day won't necessarily happen the next day."

The pair of carvers work for Elegant Ice Creations, which is based out of Broadview Heights. Mathie said their company carved all of the sculptures that lined downtown Loudonville during the festival. Some of them were carved several weeks ago, then colored with dye.

Hundreds of guests walked the streets of Loudonville throughout the day Saturday, stopping to admire the ice statues. Walt and Deb Rudy, of Wadsworth, enjoyed getting to see Meyers in action.

"It truly is an art form, and something we like," Walt said. "You wonder how they do it — it's fascinating."

The couple had more excitement planned for Sunday morning: Their goal was to fly over town in one of their hot-air balloons. They own Aloft Horizons, where they charter flights and train others to fly. The Mohican area is one of their favorite destinations.